FIrst, whether that such Bishops as ours be, ought to govern the Church, according to the Institution of the primitive Church, and whe­ther their calling be truly Iure Divino: so that in no case it ought to be removed, but must of necessity abide in the Church of Christ for ever?

2. Whether such an Institution to be Iure divino, not being possible to be proved, and those Bishops vvho have governed our church, have (especially of late) bin a scandall to the church, & dealt deceitfully vvith us, and are become so odious to all Protestant Churches; as they have bin, and novv are, it be not a great scandall to our Church vvhilst they governe it.

3. Whether (all reformed Churches else-where, so far as they could, having cast out their Bishops as an Antichristian government) our Church vvill not re­maine unreformed in the greatest matter, whilst that function doth remaine amongst us.

4 Whether that government by Bishops (first esta­blished by Papists, as lineally discending from the Pope, and by papists still by Arguments so maintai­ned) be not a great heartning, and encouragement to all Papists, giving them still hopes of bringing in popery by vvorking vvith them; for vvhat better or [Page]easier way can they have to bring in, or to encrease Popery, as experience hath abundantly shewed, then Agents for the Romish faction, being in every Pro­vince of this Kingdome: there is no more to bee done, but onely to prevaile with the Prelate thereof, who for the most part not onely are too ready to hearken to any project for reward, but are too much in love with the entertaining of popery: have not many good Ministers bin very painfull in their cal­lings before, but after they have bin made Bishops have bin great Arminians, if not entire Papists? May not the Prelate of Canterbury be a president herein, in some respects, with many more hopefull Ministers first, but after the superstitious consecration of them (as they call it) to be Bishops have bin notoriously impious, wicked, and popishly affected.

5 Whether their abiding, being onely by per­mission of the King and Parliament; it being so that they who cry out most against them are the stron­gest protestants, and such who labour for reformati­on for no private end, but labour for such a reforma­tion as comes nearest to the prescript of the Gospell of our Lord Jesus Christ, and for that pray oft. Whether it would not be a great griefe, and discou­ragement to them, in case that the Bishops should not be removed?

9 Whether it be not a great Argument to per­swade the removeall of our Bishops government, it being so that those who seeke the same are such, who are not onely of godly and honest life, and conversa­tion, but are such, for the most part, as are ready with their goods, liberties, honors, yea their lives to main­taine the honour of the King?

[Page] 7 Whether many of those who labour for their continuance still in the government of the church, be such who doe it out of Christianity, or any love either to the King, or whether for the most part they be not men of an evill life, and conversation, or evil­ly affected towards the Kings Majesty, or towards his Majesties liege people, or have not some relation to­wards popery, or towards popishly affected peo­ple, or at the least, are familiarly the companions of the Prelats, or their Adherents, or receive some way or other profit by them?

8 Whether in such petitions as have bin put up against the Bishops, there hath bin any such under­hand dealing in the getting of hands, as there hath in those petitions, or many of them, that have been put into the house for them?

9 Whether in case they should passe over all these brunts and exclamations, under which they now lye, and should still abide and govern the church. It wold not be then of dangerous consequence, and embolden them ever hereafter to attempt any thing what they please, and for ought we know ere long, fall upon popery with great dexterity, and if possible, ingrosse such a power into their hands, as will hardly ever permit them to be curbed againe?

10 Whether in case they should be established by this great Parliament, they who before did assume such power, and play such tyrannous parts, and were so great a burden to the godly and faithfull protestants, would not now, in case they should be established by this great Assembly, whether they would not be more cruell then ever they were, and the Church of England be then under a greater bondage and sla­very, then ever it was before, since O. Maries dayes,

[Page] 11 Whether they have not ever bin in all places of Christendome the greatest enemies to the Country where they have lived, of any Subjects, and for the most part, the only and sole movers, and causers both of forraine dangers, and domesticke Calamities?

12. Whether they have not bin a great hinderance to the flourishing of the Gospell in all parts & pla­ces, where they have governed, as not onely forraine parts, but our own land can testifie: where have wee one Prelate in this land, that would labour to set up preaching, where it was wanting in his Dioceses: tho moved in it, & for it: no, they thought there was too much preaching already. Surely, did not our Prelats feare rather that in case the people should be well acquainted with Gods word, they would bee plainly discerned to be of an Antichristian government.

13 Whether for them still to abide, be not dan­gerous to the Kings Majesty, to the Queen, or towards their hopefull children: there being in so many Hi­stories, so many Relations of most dangerous conse­quence thereof to Princes: that when they have bin about a Prince, & have bin curbed, or could not have their will: then have the Prelats turned traytors, and bloudy-minded: then have they laboured by a thou­sand shifts to murder their Prince, as divers stories both of our owne, and other can testifie abundantly: whether therefore for his Majesties safety they ought not to be removed, especially, at this Parliamentarie Reformation.

14 Whether a P [...]esbyteriall government doth not come nearer to the practice of the primitive church in the Apostles times, then the government of Pre­lates? [Page]15. Whether the Bishops in Scotland being removed, and a Presbiteriall government established: in which government, where ere it hath bin establi­shed hath bin no such scandals or blemishes, as have continually bin amongst the Bishops? whether it be not more probable that it will be more happy for us to be so governed in England also, both Kingdomes being wholly governed by one, & the same, our gra­tious King?

16. Whether in case our Bishops should still re­maine, theirs being removed: it may not become of evill consequence, either to us, or them, one Religion being established under one King in one & the same Iland by divers Government, and Discipline: which being divers one must needs goe beyond, and before the other?

17. Whether in case their's being reformed, & ours not, divers of our brethren of England will not remove thither, if not to some other parts, & so enrich them: but make our owne Kingdome to be the poorer?

18. Whether they have not in Scotland attained to a better and more probable way to root out popery by their Presbyteriall Government, then ever wee are likely to doe by the Prelates?

19. Whether all Sects and Sectaries will not bee more convinced and curbed, more perfectly & truly discerned, and the spreading, and groth of all false re­ligion and heresies more fully & perfectly stopped?

20 Whether God will not hereby be more glori­fied, the Kings Majesty more safely reigne in Ho­nour, the Church flourish in Religion, and the whole Land in peace and safety? Amen.